When Africa’s leaders meet for a summit, it could be mistaken for a retirement home gathering.
What happened: Peter Mutharika is leading in Malawi’s presidential election, and is poised to return to the office he held from 2014 to 2020. Mutharika was ousted a year into his second term after the country’s top court investigated evidence of ballot tampering and enforced a makeup election.
- The decision was cited as a leap forward for Malawian democracy. However, Mutharika returned as Malawi has seen economic decline under the current president, Lazarus Chakwera, who has also been accused of attempted election interference.
Big picture: Mutharika’s win would be alarming for another reason: his age. The man is 85 years old — and he’s not the only African leader eligible for a senior discount. In fact, African leaders are increasingly clinging to or obtaining power later in life.
- The 83-year-old Ivory Coast president Alassane Ouattara will likely win re-election in October, the 81-year-old Ugandan leader Yoweri Museveni will run again next year, and 92-year-old Cameroonian autocrat Paul Biya has designs to extend his reign.
Why it matters: The median age in Africa is estimated to be around 19, easily making it the world’s youngest continent. Experts fear that the age disparity between leaders and their constituents will cause mass social unrest if the gerontocrats don’t keep youthful interests at heart.—QH